I Hate That I Love You
by ChibiFreak52
Summary: Kasumi and Hidan hate each other, passionately. When Pein sends the two on a mission together, the two grow closer, and to their horror, begin to fall in love. Rated T for Hidan's language. HidanXOC. Full summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** Hello~ This idea came into my head sometime around last year and I wrote a little bit down, but I decided I should actually post it to see what people think. As is stated in my summary, this fic revolves around Hidan and my OC, Kasumi, who you will learn more about throughout the course of the story. My OC is a ridiculously powered up character and keeping her at her current power level would really just make things too easy, so I've basically dumbed it all down to something more workable for the sake of a story that I hope you all will enjoy. So sit back, relax and enjoy :D

**Disclaimer: ** I, sadly, do not own Naruto D:

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**Title: **I Hate That I Love You

**Summary: **Kasumi and Hidan have always hated each other; so much so that their loud and lengthy arguments, which consisted of obscene language and many insults, have always escalated into a fight in which Kasumi was usually the victor. When their leader, Pain, sends the pair off on a mission together, the two find themselves growing closer; and to their horror, they find that they might be falling in love.

**HidanXOC Rated T for language

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"HIDAN!"

Kasumi's voice rang through the large cave as she furiously shouted out Hidan's name. There was silence for a moment before someone else shouted in reply.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT, BITCH?"

Several people lived in the cave. It belonged to an organization known as Akatsuki, whose members consisted of some of the ninja world's most dangerous criminals. Although there were many caves that served as hideouts during missions, only one served as the main headquarters. In the headquarters were the rarely used bedrooms of each of the eleven members. Each room was conjoined with one other, in correspondence to each of the pairs that Akatsuki worked in. There was only one room separate from the others. That room was Kasumi's.

"WHAT THE HELL IS ALL OF YOUR GODDAMN RELIGION CRAP DOING IN _MY_ BATHROOM?"

Kasumi was the only member in Akatsuki who did not work with a partner because she had always preferred to work alone, or tag along with another pair when going on a mission. She was the only member able to do so because, while being one of the oldest members in respect to amount of time served, she was also the strongest.

"HOW THE FUCK SHOULD I KNOW?"

Although some pairs did not get along, others worked fairly well together. Hidan was a member who did not get along with his partner. His foul mouth, bad temper, impatience, rash attitude, and rigid views led to many fights with not only his partner, but Kasumi as well. The pair took every opportunity they had to make some rude remark towards each other, the result of which would lead to a violent outbreak of profanity and flying insults.

"WHY DON'T YOU? IT'S YOUR GODDAMN STUFF, NOT MINE!"

Despite the efforts of every Akatsuki member, only the leader was ever successful in acting as peacekeeper between the two. It had become the leader's unspoken role. Unfortunately for everyone, however, Hidan's abilities were the only thing that kept the leader from throwing him out of Akatsuki. No one ever thought of getting rid of Kasumi, though; she was far too valuable in too many ways. She was also liked by most of the members whereas Hidan was liked by none.

"WELL I DIDN'T FUCKING PUT THEM THERE!"

Kasumi emerged from her bedroom with a toothbrush in her hand and a towel in her hair. There were a few loose strands of black hair resting on her shoulders, dripping wet. She was wearing a white tank top and the trademark blue pants of Akatsuki.

"I DON'T CARE IF YOU PUT THEM THERE OR NOT, GET THEM OUT OF MY BATHROOM!"

"WHY DON'T _YOU_ FUCKING GET THEM?"

Hidan opened his door roughly, poking his head out as he bellowed angrily at Kasumi. Silent groans could be heard from some of the adjoining rooms.

"THEY'RE COVERED IN BLOOD!"

"SO? WHY DOES THAT MATTER?"

"THEY'RE SOAKED IN _YOUR_ GODDAMN _BLOOD_, DUMBASS! I'M NOT GONNA PICK 'EM UP!"

"WHAT, ARE YOU AFRAID OF A LITTLE BLOOD NOW, BITCH?"

"A _LITTLE_! THERE'S BLOOD COVERING THE WHOLE _FLOOR,_ YOU DICK!"

"THAT MATTERS WHY?"

"FUCK YOU! NO ONE WANTS TO TOUCH YOUR BLOOD!"

"FU—"

"HIDAN! Get your crap _out _of Kasumi's room _now_ before I fucking kill you!"

A tall man with a mask and headband covering all but his eyes emerged from the room next to Hidan's. He was wearing a long black robe donned with red clouds. He glared ferociously at Hidan, looking as if he had just been woken from an already restless sleep. Bags were visible under his dark green eyes.

"WHY THE FU—"

"Hidan."

An average height man stepped out from a room at the end of the long hallway where the bedrooms were located in the base. His spiky, fiery orange hair shone in the dim light of the dark grey cave. He sent a cold glare in Hidan's direction.

"Shut up. Get your stuff out of Kasumi's bathroom _now_ and get back to your own business."

At this, Hidan reluctantly shut up, shuffling down the hallway towards Kasumi's room, muttering provocative language under his breath. The tall, green-eyed man gave a barely audible sigh of relief before retreating to his bedroom to continue his interrupted nap. Before he closed his door, however, the orange-haired man spoke to him.

"Kakuzu," the man started. "Our funds have been running low lately. I need you to do some extra bounty hunting _alone_ for a while in order to restore them and increase our supply of money." Authority rang in the orange-haired man's voice. Kakuzu did not fail to notice the man's slight emphasis on the word 'alone.'

"You don't want Hidan coming along, Leader?" Kakuzu inquired, not daring to let his leader see the feeling of mild excitement quickly overtaking his body.

"No." The leader replied. "You will finish much faster without Hidan there distracting you. He will be sent on another mission with someone else."

"I hope you don't plan on sending him with Kasumi," Kakuzu said then, imagining the grim outcome should the two be forced to work together.

"The two need to learn to get along," Leader said indifferently before turning and heading to his room. "Get some rest while you can. In two hours I will make the announcement and send the three of you off."

Kakuzu nodded his head; a gesture he knew would go unnoticed by Leader. He began to wonder if Leader knew what he was doing in sending Kasumi and Hidan on a mission together. Settling on the conclusion that Leader was either temporarily suffering from mild insanity, lack of common sense due to potentially irregular sleeping patterns or a brilliant mixture of both, Kakuzu sighed and returned to his room, making a feeble attempt to sleep in the little time he had left at the main hideout.

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Each member of Akatsuki slowly made his way into the largest room in the hideout, a vast, empty space which normally served as the sealing ground for any tailed-beasts, should one have been captured anywhere nearby. They each stood with their respective partners, each wearing Akatsuki's standard black robe littered with red clouds, forming a neat circle in the center of the room, a member or two exchanging small words of greetings while waiting for others to arrive.

Kasumi strode in, no longer garbed in her messy underclothes, but in black shorts, a black shirt and a short, red jacket; the golden dragon embroidered on the back was dimly glistening in the sparse light. She glanced around the circle of waiting Akatsuki members before finding a suitable place to stand, right next to a short man with black hair and blood red eyes.

"It's been a while hasn't it?" She stated casually, turning slightly to face the man she was addressing. He gave no reply; merely nodding silently as the man next to him, his partner, spoke up.

"You're doing well, I hope, Kasumi," the tall man inquired. His skin was a bizarre shade of light blue, and he sported gill-like markings on his cheeks, which only served to accent his fish-like eyes and rugged, sharp teeth.

"As well as one can possibly be after arguing for two hours straight with a loud, foul-mouthed, disrespectful _brat_." Kasumi half-mumbled half-spoke these words as she crossed her arms and glared at nothing in particular. At this, the blue man chuckled, giving a toothy grin as he continued to chat with Kasumi.

"Hidan can be quite annoying can't he? I feel bad for Kakuzu, who has to put up with him more than we do."

"That is true," Kasumi conceded. Her vicious glare softened as she began sympathizing with Hidan's partner. "Sometimes I almost feel guilty," she continued. "Kakuzu wouldn't have to put up with him had I chosen to remain as his partner."

"Well it can't be helped I suppose," the blue-man stated. "I think you have too much fun tagging along with other pairs to actually stick with just one, eh Itachi?" the blue-man mused, turning to his partner as he finished his sentence. Once again, the short man said nothing; a single nod serving as the only indication that he'd been listening.

"You're rather quiet today, Itachi," Kasumi said, raising an eyebrow to the short man before revising her previous statement. "Well, you're quieter than usual, I suppose."

"Hn."

Kasumi gave a faint smile. Itachi was one of the few members whom Kasumi was close to, and as a result he saw the happier sides of her that she never dared show the others. Whether this was out of embarrassment or a matter of pride, however, Kasumi would never tell.

Finally, as the last of the members gathered around the nearly complete circle, the leader stalked into the room, an air of authority surrounding him. He stopped in the single opening in the circle, which was left for him, and took his place next to his own partner, a fair skinned woman with lagoon blue hair, which was adorned with a delicately folded paper flower.

"You sure took your time getting here, Leader, hmm," said a short, blonde-haired man in a light manner. "I would have thought you would be the first here since you called this meeting so suddenly."

"I had other matters to attend to," replied the orange-haired man. He looked each of the nine other members in the eye before continuing. "I know I have called you here on rather short notice and I apologize," he stated in a rather unapologetic tone. "However, I have orders to issue to a few members and it will be in everyone's best interest to listen to what I have to say."

Every member of Akatsuki stared at Leader, except Kakuzu, who was subtly glancing towards Kasumi, then Hidan and back again. His brow furrowed as he guessed what the leader was about to say next.

"Kakuzu, you are going to do some extensive bounty hunting on your own. Your time limit is three months. In that time I expect you to acquire as much money as you can to replenish our recently depleted funds."

At this statement, almost every member turned simultaneously to stare at a member wearing a ridiculous orange mask with a swirled pattern that gravitated towards the single eyehole on the right side of his face. Even the leader shot a weary glance in the young man's direction.

"Eh? Why is everyone staring at me?" he stated in a rather dumbfounded manner, earning a rather irritated look from the blonde-haired man next to him, who had first addressed Leader.

"Tobi! It's your fault we're stuck in this rut to begin with! You shouldn't even be an Akatsuki member, you're so un-cool!" the blonde man snapped.

"As his partner, you take responsibility too, Deidara," Leader retorted coldly, addressing the blonde-haired man.

Deidara, straightening up and staring at Leader said, "_You_ try to stop him when he goes out to buy sweets. He goes crazy!"

"What's done is done, the point is, we're running low on money and need to get more," Kasumi stated with an irritated sigh. "But I don't see why we're sending Kakuzu out alone to just do bounty hunting. Shouldn't we send out other pairs to take on tasks from countries looking for our services?" Kasumi inquired, staring at Leader with an air of suspicion.

"There will be other pairs sent out to do just that," Leader stated dryly. "I want Deidara and Tobi to aid Kakuzu since they're the main cause behind our financial crisis in the first place." Leader glared coldly at the two members in question, earning a shudder from one and a shifting of feet from the other.

"Wait," Kisame interjected then. "What about Hidan?"

Kakuzu shifted noticeably from one foot to the other before glancing towards Leader, then to Kasumi and Hidan. If one observed well enough, they would have noticed a drop or two of sweat running down the side of his face from the sheer anticipation he was experiencing at the moment.

"Hidan will be sent on a separate mission with another member."

Realization hit Kasumi like an avalanche of snow. She felt the blood drain from her face as her stomach plummeted into the floor. It didn't take a genius to figure out where the trail was headed. The other Akatsuki members saw the oncoming train-wreck as well, as many grew wide-eyed, and began to cough loudly or shift uncomfortably. Even Itachi, who was normally the most stoic member of the group aside from Leader and his partner, seemed a little distressed.

"I have to go on a mission? Can't I just stay here while Kakuzu's on his mission?" Hidan complained, yawning as he leaned back to stretch.

"You can't stay idle for three months Hidan, we still have much work to do in order to achieve our goals," Leader said, a hint annoyance coloring his statement.

"So I have to go on missions by myself? Do you know how much of a pain in the ass that will be!" Hidan cried out in anger.

"You won't be working alone," Leader said impatiently, now clearly angry with Hidan's inability to grasp the situation.

"Then who the hell am I working with?"

At this statement, every single member of Akatsuki with the exception of Tobi and Hidan glanced towards Kasumi in a mix of sympathy and pity. It seemed as though even Leader was beginning to somewhat regret his decision. Kasumi stared at Hidan, face pale and hands cold. She then turned to glare at Leader, the rancor in her eyes clearly reflecting the deep resentment and bitter hatred she was currently feeling for him.

The tremulous atmosphere of the room was undulating fiercely, each member timorously glancing between the stoic Leader, the torridly glaring Kasumi and the clueless Hidan. They looked at each other in tacit agreement before taking a visibly large step backwards and away from Kasumi and Hidan.

Ignoring Kasumi's look of umbrage, Leader spoke, understanding that the moment the words left his mouth, all hell was likely to break loose.

"You will be working with Kasumi."

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**A/N:** So I hope you've enjoyed this first chapter and tell me what you did/did not like. Reviews are love. Flames are welcomed but not super encouraged. I do after all want to hear any criticism (constructive please~) you have for this fic since I'm technically counting it as my first.

Peace~

Chibi


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Hello! I've been dying to write chapter 2 all week but couldn't as I've been forced by my teachers to undertake the laborious school task all students call homework. So, instead of blowing my homework off during the week, I chose to blow it all off over the weekend! :D (Which means I will be spending the rest of the day finishing everything I neglected to do over the past two days...)

So, while I'm dying of homework overload brought on by severe procrastination, I hope you all enjoy the second chapter of I Hate That I Love You

**IN ADDITION:** I would also like to say to anyone with friends and family in Japan right now that I hope from the bottom of my heart that they are safe and well. I personally don't know anyone in Japan currently, but my heart is going out to everyone that is suffering.

(Is also hoping that Masashi Kishimoto, Tite Kubo and various other famous Japanese people-that I know of-are okay...what would I do if Naruto never ended properly? ;_; ) - does not know where they live and is currently hoping it's not in northern Japan -

**Disclaimer: ** It is such a sad thing that I don't own at least part of Naruto. Can you imagine the royalties? It'd be enough to let me sit home all day and waste my life away on the internet while writing fanfiction. Which is nice, but I'm thinking more along the lines of: "I'd have enough cash to last me a life-time, therefore I would never have to find a job, therefore I would never have to go to school, therefore NO HOMEWORK!"

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**I Hate That I Love You**

**Chapter 2**

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Silence reigned dead and heavy over the cave for a few short moments as each member, now having taken several visible steps backwards, looked between Kasumi, Hidan and Leader, waiting for Hidan to fully process what he had been told. One could almost see the light-bulb click on above his head as his blank and contemplating expression was quickly washed away by a look of anger, repulsion and sheer disbelief.

His jaw dropped as he stood, gaping like an idiot, for a few brief moments, paralyzed from shock. Then he blew his top like a volcanic eruption, spewing profanity and shouts all over the cave.

"YOU WANT ME TO WORK WITH THIS UGLY, TOAD-FACED, COCKY WHORE!"

"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME YOU DICKLESS PILE OF SHIT!"

Several members groaned and began to rub their temples to quell the oncoming headaches, which always resulted from the ear-piercing decibels the two seemed to reach when screaming at each other. A few were about to walk out of the room when Leader interfered.

"YOU HEARD ME YOU FILTHY LITTLE BITCH!"

"I _DARE_ YOU TO REPEAT THAT YOU WOTHLESS EXCUSE OF A SIMPLE-MINDED DUNCE!"

"WHY YOU—"

"Shut up, now, both of you," Leader commanded, sounding more weary and irritated then angry and demanding.

Kasumi turned on Leader then, advancing on him until she was directly in front of him. She roughly grabbed the collar of his Akatsuki robe and brought him down to eye level, glaring furiously at him while doing so.

"Pein," Kasumi said in a voice so menacing and deadly that several members visibly shuddered. "I suggest you reconsider this decision before I'm forced to do something you will _all_ regret."

Each member looked at each other while slowly sliding towards the exit. They had all learned from experience that an angry Kasumi meant severe physical damage to not only the hideout, but to themselves as well.

Pein calmly returned Kasumi's glare of pure hatred, which was saved only for special occasions, and stated in finality, "You will be working with Hidan."

Kasumi continued to glare at Pein, anger etched into every muscle twitch of her body. Slowly and reluctantly, she loosened her vice-grip on Pein's collar and stepped back.

Seeing that the storm had been effectively stopped in its tracks, the rest of the members cautiously returned to their original positions in the circular formation.

"What do you want us to do?" Kasumi asked, anger dripping like poison off the end of her question.

"I want you and Hidan to capture the Nanabi, the Seven-Tailed Jinuchuuriki," Pein stated, wasting no time in getting to the point.

"The Horned Beatle, correct?" Kasumi interjected. Pein nodded and continued.

"The Jinuchuuriki's name is Fu and has defected from the Hidden Waterfall Village. As both of you are either current or former partners of Kakuzu, you both know secret passages into the village. I want the two of you to start there to see if you can find anything out.

'As of now, it isn't known whether the Seven-Tailed Jinchuuriki defected by choice or as a result of village resentment. So we don't know if there's anyone out there looking to take her back. Also, the Jinchuuriki defected only recently so perhaps she is still in an area close to the village."

Pein stared at Kasumi and Hidan. They both seemed to have calmed down enough to listen to his instructions. Convinced that the pair would refrain from breaking out into a verbal duel until they were dismissed, Pein continued.

"Kasumi, I want you to act as the head of your team. I trust in your ability to make a rational decision should the mission take a turn for the worst," Pein said, glancing at Hidan to see how he would react.

Hidan glared at Leader and scoffed, but made the wise decision to stay quiet for the moment. It was clear from his demeanor, though, that he did not appreciate the indirect insult that Pein had thrown in his face.

"Now, I said earlier that it was in everyone's best interest to attend this meeting to hear what I had to say. I want the rest of you to continue your hunt for your assigned targets. However, I also want you all to take on small tasks to help Kakuzu bring our money reserves back up.

'In addition, I want all of you to keep an eye out for information on the Seven-Tailed Jinchuuriki. Kasumi and Hidan may be strong, but their target is one of the strongest Tailed Beasts, so it's best to take pre-caution and give them as much of an advantage as possible."

By this time, everyone was listening to what Pein had to say; at the same time wondering in the back of their minds if they were only notified of Kasumi and Hidan's mission in order to serve as backup should the pair prove to be too distracted trying to kill each other to focus on their actual task. Each member seemed to think so as they nodded or grunted in understanding. They all looked at Leader, then Kasumi and then Hidan.

"For the duration of this mission, I want Kasumi to keep her Thought Transfer Jutsu active and available at all times. That way we can issue orders and spread information quickly," Pein added.

The Akatsuki members all looked at each other in tacit agreement, understanding the implication behind Pein's words. They were definitely meant to be back ups.

"Understood," Kasumi said, considerably calmer then she was earlier.

"Is it strictly necessary to keep the jutsu going at _all _times, though?" Kasumi added in a concerned manner. "That'll get a little exhausting and I prefer not to be too worn down when fighting a Jinchuuriki."

"Yes," Pein said. "I want to keep a network of communication going the whole time."

"Well so much for the pre-cautionary measures. I'm sure I won't have any trouble fighting if my brain is nothing but mush," Kasumi remarked sarcastically.

"It is a pre-caution," Pein stated, staring at Kasumi with a slightly irritated expression. "I want all of you informed at all times. Kasumi, I want you keeping it connected when you're sleeping, too. I don't want anything slipping by."

Kasumi groaned. Her Thought Transfer Justu, as the name stated, allowed for communication via thoughts and was used to give orders and plan more effectively whilst keeping the opponent in the dark. Using the technique for prolonged periods of time; however, such as any time longer than a week, severely taxed one's mind and ability to think clearly. Kasumi, as well as the rest of the Akatsuki, knew that she was skilled enough to handle the side-effects for over a month past the one-week limit imposed by the jutsu, but it didn't stop the nagging worry in the back of her mind. She had a feeling that the mission would take longer than anticipated.

"Understood?" Pein asked, staring at Kasumi and waiting for a reply.

"Understood," Kasumi finally muttered after a few moments of silence.

"Good. You are all dismissed."

With that, the members of Akatsuki dispersed, each going their separate ways to complete separate tasks, leaving Kasumi and Hidan alone in the large room. Kasumi sighed and walked over to Hidan, running a hand through her hair before speaking.

"All right, neither of us is particularly thrilled to be working together, but we have a mission to do so if you screw anything up, Pein will be at our throats faster than you can say uncle," Kasumi stated with an air of exasperation. "So don't screw anything up and do as I say, got it?"

"Well, looks who's acting all high n' mighty just 'cause they got put in charge of this little scavenger hunt," Hidan remarked bitingly. "Why don't you get off that high horse of yours and join the rest of us down here in the real world, bitch?"

In an instant Kasumi had Hidan pinned against the far wall of the cave with a kunai to his throat.

"You better watch your mouth, brat," Kasumi spat angrily. "I will _not_ let you screw things up because you can't get along with anyone, got it?"

Hidan merely scoffed and tried to push himself off the wall, an action that proved futile in the face of Kasumi's iron grip. Her strength seemed to know no bounds, as each time Hidan quarreled with Kasumi, she was stronger than she was in the previous fight. This particular time was no exception, even if he was only being pinned against the dank cave wall.

Kasumi glared at Hidan as he tried to break free of her grip. She merely held him tighter until he was forced to cry out in discomfort.

"I get it, I get it, okay? Can you just let me go now, bitch?" Hidan complained, wincing a little as her fingernails dug into his arm at the word 'bitch.' Then, Kasumi abruptly let go, turned around and started walking towards the exit of cave. She stopped for a moment, turning her head to look behind her at Hidan, glaring at him while saying, "Hurry up or I'll leave you behind, brat."

Hidan leered at Kasumi and began walking as well. There was a tense atmosphere about the two as they both realized just how bad a turn the mission was likely to take. Hidan, walking behind Kasumi, glared intensely at her head of long black hair, willing his gaze to penetrate her skull and make her drop dead on the spot.

"Stupid, crazy, bipolar bitch…" Hidan muttered grudgingly under his breath. He glanced over to Kasumi to see if she would turn around and pin him against a wall again. He was sorely disappointed to find that her only reaction was a slight stiffness to her step that was not there the moment before.

The two emerged from the cave to find the sun shining brightly and the wind dancing with the grass and trees around them. Hidan, too busy with his thoughts, barely managed to stop himself from walking straight into Kasumi, for she had stopped in her tracks almost the instant they walked out of the Akatsuki Main Hideout.

Hidan tensed and reached for his weapon, a large, triple bladed scythe attached to a cord at his waist, thinking that Kasumi stopped because she sensed an enemy nearby. He was surprised to find that she was completely relaxed and made no move to make a hand seal or grab a weapon. He let go of his scythe and looked at Kasumi, bewildered at her sudden stop. He walked around her to see what was holding her in place.

He found nothing but a calm and serene look on Kasumi's face as the wind jostled her hair and made it dance around in playful pirouettes. She smiled as the wind picked up, causing her hair to move in rapid, jerky movements, flailing about and flying in all directions. Kasumi brought her arms up and held them out from her sides and smiled again as the wind made her vivid red, mid-length jacket jerk sporadically and the strings on her silky black armlets dance about like kelp caught in a strong ocean current.

He admired the scene, taking in the picturesque form of Kasumi as the wind danced and played around her figure, as though it were choreographed and practiced, and he realized that there was a sense of rapport between Kasumi and the wind, as though they were one and the same. The wind seemed to bring Kasumi to life in a way that could never be achieved by anything else. He snapped out of his reverie when he realized that he had been staring at Kasumi for longer than was strictly polite-though he was never one for politeness-and certainly onger than he had ever done before.

He was about to bring her back to reality by throwing a clever insult at her when she slowly opened her eyes. The wind had calmed down and so had Kasumi. She had a look on her face similar to that of one who has been enlightened and she looked around her with a kind of grace Hidan had never seen before.

She then turned to look at him, the full force of her calmness radiating off of her and spreading to him. For a second, Hidan wondered if she was going to say something embellished and philosophical, but that idea quickly shattered with her following statement.

"What the hell are you standing around for, you useless oaf, we need to get going."

_Well, so much for that..._ Hidan thought in slight surprise.

"Why're you yelling at me? _You_ were the one who was standing around. I was just waiting for you to finish _having fun_ with your little friend, you know, the wind." Hidan smirked, amused as a look of pure repulsion and disgust swept her peaceful expression away as quickly as the wind came and went. She stood there staring, gaping and aghast at Hidan, trying not to believe that he had actually just implied what he had just implied.

She opened her mouth to retort, but soon closed it and let out a huge sigh. She closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. Hidan figured that it was to rub the disturbing thought out of her mind and possibly to stifle the urge to strangle him-or violently kill him. He settled, with a smirk of satisfaction, on the thought that it was a mix of all three and left it with that, saying "C'mon, bitch. We've got a bug to squash."

Kasumi opened her eyes, her expression weary, and nodded her head in silence. She seemed like she was desperately grabbing for the feeling of contentment that she felt moments ago, and as a result, was trying not to start another fight too soon. She turned towards the trees and started walking.

"All right, let's go. The Hidden Waterfall Village is about a two day trip from where we are now, but it's going to take a little longer because I need to stop someplace first." Kasumi sighed and began walking. Hidan followed with a raised eyebrow.

"Where're we going?"

Kasumi smirked.

"I guess you'll just have to wait and find out."

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**A/N:** There you have it, my rather hastily written chapter 2! I actually have the plot planned out and bulleted, I just have to find the time to write. x_x

I was going to make the chapter longer, but since I still have homework to do and didn't want to keep anyone waiting, I figured that where I ended was a decent stopping place. So, I will now take the time to ask you all which you prefer: Shorter chapters that will most likely be dished out faster, or longer chapters that will take a bit more time but will likely have more depth?

Please leave your answer in the **reviews** that I know you would all love to give me~ ;D

But in all seriousness, I do hope you can find the time to review to tell me what you do and don't like about the story, as I would love to hear (or read, I guess) feedback from the people that are actually interested enough in my sales pitch (aka Summary) to actually try the story on and see if it fits.

So reviews are love. Flames are fine but not encouraged. Stay safe. Work hard in school (because that's *totally* what I'm doing) and enjoy the rest of your weekend! :D

(granted, the last statement would have made more sense if I had managed to post this chapter at the _beginning_ of the weekend as opposed to the end x_x)

Peace~

Chibi


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Sorry it has been such a long time! Please forgive meh! ;A; There were a lot of distractions (couple it with my terrible habit of procrastination and laziness and you've got a nasty combo of "Never-gonna-get-anything-done") So I'll keep my wordy author's note short. Please enjoy~

**Disclaimer:** It's truly unfortunate, but I don't own Naruto ;A;

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**I Hate That I Love You**

**Chapter 3**

* * *

"So, where're we goin', bitch?"

Kasumi let out a heavy sigh as she continued to walk through the dense undergrowth of the forest. Hidan stared at her impatiently, waiting for her to answer.

"Exactly how many times are you going to keep asking me that?" she asked in exasperation.

"As many times as it takes for you to answer the damn question," Hidan snapped back irritably.

Kasumi had led him in the opposite direction of the Hidden Waterfall Village and the pair had been walking for several hours through the thick forest. Hidan had almost tripped several times on the large and bulky tree roots that protruded from the ground, and was beginning to grow annoyed with Kasumi for leading him around randomly through the unfamiliar forest.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Hidan asked when, once more, he failed to pry their destination from Kasumi's stubbornly clamped mouth. He hissed in frustration as a particularly large root ensnared his foot, causing him to jerk forward and almost slam squarely into Kasumi's back. Breaking his foot free from the sturdy wood, he glared at the back of Kasumi's head before spitting on the tree root that had dared to impede on his trek through the mass entanglement of roots and dirt.

Kasumi remained silent and kept walking, the golden dragon—which was embroidered on the back of her vivid red jacket—glistened brilliantly in the thin streams of sunlight that shone down through the small openings in the leaves.

"We're lost, aren't we?" Hidan stated finally, taking her silence to mean a 'no.'

"You just don't know when to shut up, do you?" Kasumi asked, turning sharply on her heel to face Hidan. Only her eyes betrayed her growing frustration with the silver-haired man.

"Well _excuse me_ for wanting to know where the hell you're taking me!" Hidan retorted angrily.

Kasumi let out another huge sigh, running her hand through her hair as she closed her eyes and let the small zephyr that was blowing tickle her face and play with her hair. Her expression quickly changed. It was now more relaxed and she opened her eyes to stare contemplatively at Hidan.

She stared at him for a few moments, as if she were going to finally answer him, yet all the while pondering, gauging just how much she should tell him and what his responses to each option might be. With a sigh of resignation, she answered him.

"We're going to the Uchiha Storehouse."

"Why the hell are we going there?" Hidan asked after a moment, wondering what object of value could possibly be in a place like that; a place he was sure Kasumi had never been to. At the same time, he was growing more irritated with Kasumi for delaying a mission they both certainly wanted to finish as quickly as possible.

"I need to pick something up," Kasumi stated bluntly, who had turned around and continued down the non-existent path they were following.

"Well I gathered that much," Hidan stated irritably, leering at Kasumi as she kept going. He proceeded to resume his assault on the gnarled undergrowth at his feet, battling his way through the multitude of dirt clumps, fallen tree branches and web-like roots. Hidan kept at his task for several minutes before an obvious thought finally hit him.

"Wait," he said, looking up from a particularly nasty mess of roots to stare at Kasumi. Kasumi stopped and turned her head in his direction. She stared blankly at him for a moment as she waited for him to finish his statement.

"How do you even know how to get there?"

Kasumi turned away and kept walking. Hidan's eye twitched as he fought the urge to run up to her and shake an answer out of her—and the urge to break off the large root by his foot and fling it at the infuriating female. He resumed his perilous trek through the undergrowth, now mumbling angrily to himself, cursing Pein with every fiber of his being and complaining about Kasumi's unnecessary silence. He wasn't expecting the answer she gave him.

"Itachi and I used to go together frequently."

Hidan looked up at Kasumi with a surprised expression. She had stopped and turned around to stare at him stoically while waiting for him to say something. Hidan continued to return Kasumi's stagnant stare with an expression of surprise. After a moment, he finally decided to answer, giving Kasumi every reason to regret telling him anything at all.

"So does this mean you're Uchiha's whore?"

Kasumi's shoulders stiffened as her straight stare quickly became one of disgust.

"Don't be stupid," she snapped in repulsion. Her mouth flattened to a hard line as she now glared intensely at Hidan.

"Itachi and I don't have that kind of relationship." Kasumi turned and began walking, this time at a much quicker pace.

"Sure you don't…" Hidan mumbled quietly, smirking as he stared at Kasumi's rigid figure.

The pair walked on through the forest, their journey gradually growing easier as the trees thinned out and they found themselves at the edge of a large, flat plain. Along the horizon, the ruins of a city could be seen. Kasumi led Hidan into the ruins, walking through various streets and alleyways before they finally stopped before a building that looked as though someone still managed its upkeep.

They entered the building and quietly passed through the aged halls. The air reeked of animal hair and damp concrete. Hidan wrinkled his nose at the permeating scent but didn't complain; the whole building left Hidan with the feeling that he was being watched by something dangerous.

Kasumi led Hidan to a particularly long and dark hallway and Hidan was surprised to find a warm, inviting light shining at the end of it. When the pair reached the end, Hidan saw a pair of double doors greeting them, which Kasumi opened without so much as a knock. The sight that greeted them made Hidan want to kick himself for ever thinking the place was a threat.

An old lady with a large hairdo and black nose sat before him, calmly smoking a pipe. She was wearing a black headband adorned with cat ears to keep her messy hair out of her face. Hidan felt the urge sneeze once he finally moved from the old lady to take in the pile of furry cats surrounding her. He eyed each cat disbelievingly before turning to Kasumi with a look on his face that clearly stated, _"What the _hell_ is this place?"_

Kasumi ignored Hidan's look and knelt down before the old woman. She bowed her head briefly before sitting up, finally giving Hidan the answer he had been trying to pry out of her all day—albeit she answered him indirectly.

"Hey, Neko-baa. I've come to pick up my sword," Kasumi stated. The old woman took her pipe out of her mouth, allowing a thin stream of smoke to pour out.

"My, my, it has been quite a while, hasn't it, Kasumi-chan?" The old woman stared contemplatively at Kasumi before shifting her steady gaze over to Hidan. He shifted uncomfortably under her stare. "And who might this be? He seems different from the man who came with you last time."

"It's unfortunate, but I've been assigned a mission with him," Kasumi stated grudgingly, gesturing behind herself to Hidan. "He's the partner of the man you saw during my last visit. It's too bad I'm not traveling with him instead." Kasumi turned her head to glare at Hidan. He returned it with an offended glare of his own—even if he couldn't deny that he felt the same. Traveling with Kakuzu was at least bearable.

"I'll finish faster if I have my sword."

"I see," the woman said, releasing another puff of smoke into the air. The cats around her were purring in content and some chose to wander over to Kasumi and Hidan. Hidan stared in disbelief as Kasumi stroked the ears of a particularly furry brown cat who had wandered over. He never would have guessed Kasumi was a cat person—or any kind of person besides annoying for that matter.

Hidan started slightly when a small black and white cat came rubbing its head against his legs. He stared down at it uncertainly before finally kneeling and stroking it along its back. It purred in satisfaction and rubbed up against him more.

"Well, I shall have my granddaughter fetch it for you," Neko-baa stated, gesturing to her granddaughter—who was standing nearby—to go get the requested items. She returned with a long package wrapped in brown cloth, a small bulge in the middle implying that there was more than just a sword in it. She knelt down and gave it to Kasumi who accepted it gratefully. She put it aside without opening it and looked at the old woman.

"Also, may I browse around a bit, Granny Cat? I need a few things."

"Of course," the woman waved her hand outward to gesture to the various shelves of weapons lining the walls. "Take your time."

Hidan groaned and shot Kasumi a weary glare. Kasumi returned it with a glare of her own but continued looking. After picking up various items, she handed the old cat lady the necessary amount of money and thanked her.

Suddenly, Hidan hissed as the cat he had been stroking scratched him for touching its ears. It arched its back angrily and fluffed up its tail in an attempt to intimidate him. Hidan glared at the cat until Kasumi gave him a look that told him they were leaving. Kasumi left the room after one last bow to Neko-baa, an angry Hidan—now clutching his scratched hand—trailing behind her.

"So we went on a detour so you could go on a _shopping trip?_" Hidan asked incredulously upon leaving the cat infested room.

"Don't be stupid. I needed to pick up my weapons and buy a few things that might be useful for capturing the Jinchuuriki. The Uchiha Storehouse has a selection of unique weapons that can't be found anywhere else," Kasumi snapped back. She glared at Hidan defensively, receiving his rudely stuck out tongue as a result.

"Yeah…we went on a shopping trip…" Hidan crossed his arms and glared at Kasumi. The pair was locked in a glaring contest throughout their trip out of the building. Only once they reached the exit did Kasumi remember to organize the mess of tags and kunais sitting in her arms.

Kasumi quickly pocketed the items, leaving only the long package in her hands. Hidan eyed it warily and hoped that it was truly worth the trip taken to get it. Because of Kasumi's package, the pair was already a day behind on their mission, a gap that even Hidan knew could be hard to close without proper leads.

"Now, to activate the Thought Transfer Jutsu…" Kasumi mumbled quietly to herself. She set the package down and began to form a series of complicated hand signs, many of which Hidan had never seen before. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Hidan wondered why all of Kasumi's jutsu involved complicated and long hand seals that not even a Sharingan-user could copy. However, at the moment, Hidan was surprised that Kasumi remembered to activate the technique at all. He had completely forgotten about that particular order the moment he had left the main hideout.

Once the justu was activated, the thoughts of every Akatsuki member flooded into Hidan's head as though a dam had burst. He was immediately wishing for Pein's death. That thought, of course, resonated throughout the minds of every member, and the rest quickly silenced their own in weary anticipation. Still, a single thought rang through every head.

_Hidan, you're an idiot._ Whether or not it was an individual, or the group as a whole who thought this, though, Hidan could not tell. It was probably the whole group.

"_It's about time,"_ Pein said, completely ignoring the thoughts of both Hidan and the responding party. _"However, it would be best if you put restrictions on the jutsu. I want only the important information filtered through to everyone."_ This last thought was clearly directed at Kasumi. It seemed Pein didn't want to hear the everyday squabbles of the other members.

"_Of course, right away."_ Kasumi mentally sighed. She knew that while everyone else would only hear what was important, she would be stuck hearing every thought in order for the jutsu to properly filter out necessary information. That thought alone was enough to make her want to release the jutsu immediately. She resisted, however, and instead placed the necessary restrictions on the technique. The following thoughts of relief were enough to tell her that they had worked.

"_All right,"_ Pein started. _"It seems that everyone is now ready. What do you all have so far?"_

"_It seems the Nanabi Jinchuuriki has been spotted wandering around in Waterfall territory recently, hmm,"_ Deidara answered. _"I also heard that a shinobi with a large bounty on his head was spotted near the Hidden Grass Village about a day ago."_

"_Well, well,"_ Kisame thought. _"Itachi and I are nearby the Grass Village. Maybe after we catch our target, we could go after this guy. How much is he worth?"_

_ "The wanted poster I found didn't have a name. It just had a really big number on it, hmm."_

"_Good. I want Kisame and Itachi to cover any acquirable bounty there is in the Grass Village."_ Pein's thoughts rang out, demanding everyone's attention. _ "Remember to keep searching for any information regarding the Nanabi Jinchuuriki. Dismissed."_

With that, every member except Kausmi was left to dwell in their own thoughts. She gave a heavy sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. This was going to be a long mission.

* * *

**A/N:** So it seems I'm very wordy and can't get to the point. As a result, this chapter really dragged ;A; At least this chapter is a bridge into the actual point of the story. The last chapter was almost a filler ._.;

I also seem to mention that Kasumi's jacket is vivid red in every chapter (oh, and it has a dragon)...

I also seem to have gotten really sarcastic towards the end of this chapter and I'm not sure why...

It also seems that Hidan and Kasumi glare at each other a lot...I wonder why... ._.;

Anywho~ Please review to tell me what you did and did not like about this chapter (or the whole 3 chapters that I've actually written and uploaded). Flames or okay but not encouraged. Criticism is fine (constructive is preferred). I really do want to know what you think of my story.

Also, I DO plan on finishing this story. So if I don't update in forever it's not because I decided to leave the story hanging. It will probably because I got distracted...and lazy...and procrastinated too much...

Peace~

Chibi


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